I'm tempted to get rid of the coco fiber all together and just use soil. Cheaper, and all I'm doing with coco fiber is adding a bit to the soil to make it go father.
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Blue baboon
- Thread starter Dustin Hester
- Start date
- Messages
- 396
I think coco fibre looks hideous as well. The only reason I got it initially was that I didn't know where to get a good substrate mix here. Turns out the store down the road has a pretty good soil/peat mix.
- Messages
- 396
Many people use it for trapdoor species, especially difficult species like Liphistius. I don't know how well it would work dry, though.
- Messages
- 11,180
- Location
- Malton, UK
In the UK it seems all the soils sold seem to have chemicals added to make plants grow and peat is banned now so I don't have much choice..
- Messages
- 396
I would try smaller mom and pop type gardening stores. They'd usually have their own mixes.
- Messages
- 11,180
- Location
- Malton, UK
Sadly there are none around here, only the big garden centres, I've even searched online. Peat was banned because the peat fields were running out and they want to preserve what's left for the wildlife they attract.
What are the added chemicals? If it's nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus, your fine. Those are natural chemicals found anywhere there is vegetation. It's a by product of plant decay in the soil, Ts have been living with it for ever, literally.
- Messages
- 800
- Location
- Connecticut
This is one of the main reasons I started experimenting with soil and peat; it dries quickly, turns fluffy, and loses volume. For my burrowers, especially those requiring moisture, this became problematic. I used to have my M. balfouris on it as well, and I agree...they kept rebuilding them. They are now in a peat and soil mixture and it's been one and done with the burrows. I know many folks use coco fiber without issue; I just personally find that some of the other substrates work better for my tastes.
As for vermiculite, I've used it for years mixed in with the substrate for my moisture-dependent species. I don't use it for arid enclosures. When combined with moist soil, there's no dust and it helps the water percolate into the lower layers of the substrate instead of puddling up on the top. I don't put a ton in and it still packs down very well for the burrowers. Personally, I love the stuff but get why folks shy away from it. When I got into the hobby in the 90s, it was what everyone was using (my G. porteri was on it for about 15 years). I think the asbestos insulation contamination freaked a lot of folks out, and you couldn't find the stuff for quite a while.
- Messages
- 1,158
Yea, I mean that is really an expanse of floor space but I am liking this idea of a setup as I am starting to house my Ts like this. I love to see them roam around and yet, they still get their prey. I only do this though when they are big enough that they can no longer escape through the vent holes and I think this only works for terrestrials.
